But on this particular day, I watched as one of the pair of males waited patiently while a hairy woodpecker male chose its favourite seeds from the hopper feeder.
The grosbeak didn't have to wait long, perhaps a minute or two before the woodpecker moved off. They traded places often over the next few minutes.
And then at another feeder, a pair of grosbeaks eat peacefully with the smaller goldfinch. I guess size does matter. And perhaps ferocity.
Woodpeckers, bluejays and grackles seem to be the terrors of the feeder world, chasing other birds away, or making them move to one side while they have their way with whatever goodies are presented for eating - suet and seed in winter, just seeds in spring and summer.
About seeds, I was going through a huge bag of seed once a week, and was thinking the time is coming that I won't be doing this much longer... way too expensive.
However the birds themselves seem to be cutting back.
Or perhaps they've moved on and don't need to eat so much. Black oil sunflower seeds are rich in fats that the small birds require for those bitter mornings to keep them going. But the number at the deck rail, or the other feeders these past couple of weeks with such beautiful weather, has diminished. Today may tell the tale - it's cool, rainy (again) and not nearly as pleasant.
Ah spring - such a fickle season. Yet still my favourite.
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